Refrigerating unit



Sept. 18, 1934. v w. MOODY REFRIGERATING UNIT Filed May 15, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 18, 1934. v w MOODY 1,973,881

REFRIGERATING UNIT Filed May 13, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Vw QA. 66

Patented Sept. 18, 1934 REFmGEaAmG UNIT Virginius W. Moody, Long Branch,N. J., assignor to Reynolds Research Corporation, New York, N. Y., acorporation of Delaware Application .May 13, 1932, Serial No. 611,094

17 Claims.

This invention relates to a refrigerating unit and has to doparticularly with a device which employs a solidified gas as a coolingagent.

A gas such as carbon dioxide which has been solidified by compression isat a temperature approximating minus one hundred fourteen degreesFahrenheit or at a lower temperature. To place an article to be cooledin unobstructed proximity to so frigid a material would cause too greatan amount of heat to be absorbed from that article. Ordinaryrefrigerated articles would, in such case, be cooled to 'a temperaturelower than necessary, and in some instances to a temperaturesufficiently low to cause irreparable damage to the destruction of thecooled article.

Unless preventive measures are taken when cooling goods by a solidifiedgaseous substance, such as carbon dioxide, the gas will be used inwasteful exuberance resulting in possible injury to those goods. 1

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a deviceadapted to conserve a refrigerating material by a unique method ofinsulating and permitting of heat contact therewith only from a chamberrefrigerated thereby by indirect means.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a'. storagecompartment in combination with a. refrigerating chamber containing arefrigerant material, and a partition between 'the two with means forapportioning the effect of the refrigerant to the storage compartment.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a member ofheat insulating material between a refrigerating chamber and a storagechamber, there being metallic pieces transgressing the insulatingmaterial between the two chambers.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a refrigerantchamber inclosing a refrigerant material for cooling aystoragecompartment, the arrangement between the chamber and thecompartment being such that gas may escape from the refrigerant chamberwithout passing through the storage compartment.

With the above objects and other desirable objects in View, theinvention is hereinafter set forth with reference to the accompanyingdrawings hereby made a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the lower part of therefrigerant chamber (Cl. (i2-91.5)

shown in Figure 1 to illustrate details of construction; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a compartment wall illustrating adifferent form of the invention.

Like reference characters indicate similar parts 69 throughout thefollowing description and in the drawings.

In Figure 1 is a compartment 10 comprising an inner receptacle 11 withan introverted wall 12 and an outer protective casing 13. Sheet metal ora strong fibrous material may comprise the body of casing 13. Thereceptacle 11 rests upon the bottom of the casing 13, the upper edge of'the casing being doubled in any suitable fashion to hold the receptaclewithin a selected seated position. A transverse section of thecompartment may be circular or rectangular or of any other desiredshape. Usually the walls 12 of the receptacle will be made of glass andthe space between the walls will be evacuated.

Resting upon the top o f the receptacle 11 about the opening 13a is acooling element 14, the inner part of the element 14 comprising arefrigerant chamber 15 with introverted walls 16. Walls 16 arepreferably of glass, but may be of any other dense heat insulatingmaterial. Enclosed between the walls'16 is a space 17 devoid of air.Encircling the refrigerant chamber at a short distance from its loweredge is a girdle member 18 which is formed of an insulating material.The lateral edges of the internal periphery of the member 18 are turnedor otherwise cut to configure angular faces 19. The outer periphery ofthe member 18 configures a shoulder 20 adjacent to a notch 21- forseating a gasket 22. Beneath the notch 21, the Walls of the member 18converge slightly inwardly and downwardly. The shoulder 20 and gasket 22are of the same shape as the top of the walls 12.

There are annular gaskets 23 resting upon the 95 angular faces 19 to bepressed tightly against the wall of the chamber l5 by the coaction ofannular strips 24 being drawn adjacent to the opposed faces of themember 18 and the faces 19 by the screws 25. The aperture within themember 18 100 is slightly larger than the transverse section of thechamber 15 disposed therein so that proper positioning of the gaskets 23provides an air space 26 between the aperture walls of the member andthe outer wall 16 of the refrigerant chamber. 105 'Ihis space is sealedat either end by one of gaskets 23.

Projecting from the lower edge of the girdle member 18 and there held byscrews 27 is a at flexible gasket 28 to press against the inner wall ugof the receptacle 11. Thus an air space 29 is provided between thegaskets 28 and 22.

In Figure 2 there is shown encircling the bottom edge of the refrigerantchamber 15 an adjustable collar 30. Between the collar 30 and the outerwall of the chamber 15 is a packing strip 31 to cushion the effect ofthe collar 30 as it tightened about the bottom of the chamber by meansof the screw 32. Incidental to another purpose of the collar 30,-and tobe later disclosed, the said collar reinforces the bottom of thereceptacle so that it may withstand any undue stress caused by theinsertion of a plug 33 into the bottom of the receptacle. y

The plug 33 is made of an insulating material, and has any desirednumber of apertures 34 extending between the inner and outer faces 35and 36 respectively thereof. Transgressing the apertures 34 are metallicrods 37 to the extremities of which are attached heat conductive plates38 and 39. Usually the plates 38 and 39 will be formed of metal. Acomposite sheet constructed of laminated insulating sheets 40 may beplaced upon the top of the inner plate 38 in any desired quantity. Thelaminations 40 may be entirely omitted. 'I'he purpose of the laminations40, if

used, is to insulate the eiect of a refrigerant such as a block ofsolidified carbon dioxide 41 in the receptacle 15.

When the cooling unit 14 is supported in a vertical position as shown inFigure 1, the Weight of the refrigerant 41 may be too great for the plug33 to support by frictional contact with the walls of the chamber 15. Insuch an instance, hooks or clamps (not shown) may be attached to thecollar 30 for engaging the bottom of the plug 33.

Covering the top and otherwise exposed portion of the receptacle 15 is astrong casing 42 which rests upon the member 18, preferably made ofsheet metal. The lower portion of the casing 42 is enlarged andarticulated to form a transverse shoulder 43 for setting upon the top ofthe member 18 adjacent to its edge, and a downwardly projecting flange44 for engaging the side of the member 18. An air space is providedbetween the casing 42 and the chamber 15.

Casings 13 and 42 entirely cover the device to lend the appearance of ametal cabinet. The casings may be of the same material or they may be ofa different character to lend contrast in construction.

To insert food or other articles Within the receptacle of thecompartment 10, the entire cooling unit 14 is removed by lifting it fromits seated position upon the gasket 22 at the top of the compartment.While the unit 14 is removed from the compartment, the stopper 33 may beremoved and a block of refrigerant material placed upon the stopper orblock 33. At this time, if the sheets of insulating material 40 areused, they will be placed intermediate the plate 38 and the refrigerantmaterial. This being done, the chamber 15 is carried over therefrigerant material and seated about the stopper. When hooks areattached to the collar 30 they will at this time be connected tothestopper. The unit is then reseated in assembled position with thecompartment.

As the heat from the articles within the compartment to be cooled isconducted by the plate 36 and the rods 37 to the interior of therefrigerating unit, the refrigerant is heated to emit some gas byvolatization. It is necessary that this gas escape, and escape is had byforcing its way intermediate the stopper or plug 33 and its seat withinthe end of the receptacle 15. Having escaped into the receptacle, theincreased pressure in the latter named part flexes the gasket 28slightly permitting the gas to escape slowly between the edge of thatgasket and the inner wall 12 of the receptacle into the air space 29,and thence outward of the receptacle by passing between the gasket 22and the edge of the opening 13a. 'I'his circuitous path for` the escapeof the gas generated within the refrigerant chamber makes it possiblefor'an appreciable pressure to be maintained within the receptacle l5.

The movement of gas is always outwardly of the chamber 15 and into thereceptacle 1l so that there can be no conduction of heat from thereceptacle into the chamber by way of the gas. Therefore, the only waythat heat is conducted to the refrigerant is by way of the heatconducting members'within the stopper 33. By changing the size or numberof the members 37 the rate of heat flow is readily controlled.

Heat is absorbed uniformly from within the receptacle 12by the plate 36which covers a goodly area within the receptacle. There is very littleloss of cold air from within the receptacle 11 on the account of theflow of air past the gaskets 28 and 22, because the volume of egressedair is very slight. The chamber l5 is inserted into the compartment asfar as it is practical with respect to space within the compartment inorder t'o obtain a greater length of the outer wall 16 between the uppergasket 19 and the place of contact at the opening of the chamber of thestopper 33. Inner wall 16 of the chamber is very cold since it isexposed directly to the effect of the refrigerant material. The outerwall within the storage compartment and enclosed by the member 18 is notexposed to so cold an atmosphere. Therefore some heat will be conductedby way of the wall material from the outer part of the wall to the innerwall even though the material be of an insulating character. Atemperature gradient will be established from the lowerpart of the innerwall to increase in value as the distance up the outer of the two wallsis increased. It is desired to make the distance from the bottom of theouter wall 16 to the upper gasket 19 sufficient that the temperature ofthe wall at said gasket will be very near that of the atmospherecircumuent to the device. If this condition be reached there will be notransfer of heat from the exterior atmosphere to the wall to beconducted into either the storage compartment or the refrigeratingchamber.

In the second form of the invention shown in.

Figure 3, the interior 50 of a compartment is enclosed by walls 51.Walls 51 are of a material adverse to the flow of heat therethrough.

Within a. Wall 51 of this form of the invention is a recess 52 havingside walls 53 and a bottom 54. Lining the inside of the walls 51 to anydesired extent, as well as the surface of the walls 53 and the bottom 54of the recess 52 and exposed to the interior 50 of the receptacle, is aheat conductive ,layer 55. Layer or sheet 55 is preferably made ofmetal.

Connecting the sheet 55 to the inner side of the compartment bottom 54are a plurality of heat conducting members 56, which may be of metal.The center portion of the recess bottom 54 exposed to the interior ofthe recess is slightly raised to form a channel 57 around the edgethereof. Laid within the channel 57 is a gasket 58 of an insulatingmaterial. The top of the gasket 58 is provided with a shallow groove 59.Beneath the gasket 58 and to the inner side thereof are respectively aflange 59 and the side walls of a guard wall 60. A second gasket 61rests upon the top of the gasket 58. A bell 62 of introverted walls 63is inverted into the recess 52 to rest upon the gasket 61. The walls 63of the bell 62 may be of any dense tenacious insulating material but ispreferably made of glass. The space between the walls 63 has the airremoved therefrom to create a vacuum. A narrow space 64 is providedbetween the bell 62 and the guard member to provide for easy removal andreplacement of the bell from its position upon the gasket 61.

Enclosing the bell 62 is a protective metal casing or jacket 65. Thejacket 65 telescopes over the bell 62 and into the recess 52 to presentan inwardly directed flange 66 into the groove 59 of the gasket 58.Groove 59 provides for a permanent seating of the casing. The casing 65is of such a dimension that an air space 67 is provided between thewalls thereof and the outer Wall 63 of the bell 62, and that a secondair space 68 is provided to the exterior of the side wall of the casing65 and between said wall and the innerside wa`ls of the recess 52.Extending inwardly at the upper edge of the recess 52 is a flexiblegasket 69 to engage the side of the casing 65 thereby sealing the airspace 68. A shallow intrenchment 70 encircles the opening of the recess52 for accommodating the basket 69, thus operating in conjunction with afiat ring 7l and screws 72 for retaining the gasket in place.

A cooling unit of this type enclosed by the Walls 53 and 54 makes itpossible to gain entrance to the food storage compartment withoutremoving the cooling unit. A door (not shown) is had for access to thecompartment.

When i t is desired to place a refrigerant within the receptacletherefor, the metal casing 65 is engaged in any suitable manner andlifted vertically from the recess 52. The gasket 61 which rests upon theinturned flanges 66 carries the bell 62 outwardly along with the casing.The refrigerant may then be placed within the receptacle and Within theguard wall 60, the latter providing that small pieces of the refrigerantmay remain within the recess While the bell is removed and to preventsuch pieces from tumbling into the channel 57 or upon the gasket 58 toprevent a proper seating of the parts when reassembled.

A metal plate 73 is placed in the bottom of the recess and closelyengages the ends of the members 56. It is optional whether insulatinglayers 74 be placed intermediate the refrigerant and the plate 73. Afterthe refrigerant` has been placed within the part of the receptacletherefor, which is formed in a fabricated manner with the wall of thecompartment, the casing and bell are returned to the seating positionupon the gasket 58.

As heat is conducted by the members 56 from the compartment into therefrigerant compartment, the gas generated by the refrigerant 75 escapesby way of the space 64, thence between the gaskets 6l and 58, and thenbetween the flange 66 and the gasket 58 into the space 68 and past thegasket 69.

It is desired to extend the recess 52 into the storage compartment asfar as feasible in order that there will be a greater distance from thebottom of the bell 62 and along the outer wall 63 thereof to some point76 opposite the exterior cf the compartment. This is because the walls63 of the bell, although practically impervious to the flow of heat. doconduct some heat. The temperature of the wall 63 just inside of theplace of contact with the gasket 61 is at a very low temperature,approximating a minus one hundred fourteen degrees of the refrigerant ifit be carbon dioxide solidified.' There is a gradual temperaturegradient from the inner wall 63 at the lower edge of the bell upwardlyalong the outer wall 63 to the point 76, the temperature becoming higheras the point 76 is approached. The greater the distance from the pointof contact of the outer wall 63 with the gasket 61 to the point 76 thegreater will be the difference in temperature between those two pointsand consequently the higher will be the temperature at the point 76.With the temperature at 76 approximating that of the air ambient to thecompartment, the energy loss of the cooling unit will be greatlyreduced.

The air space 68 adds to the insulating effect from the interior 50 ofthe storage compartment of the recess walls 53, while the air space 67has its insulating effect concatenated with that of the bell Walls 63.In this form of the device, as in the previously described form, thenumber of heat conducting elements 56 may be changed in order to changethe rate of cooling the interior of the compartment.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A refrigerating unit comprising a storage compartment provided withWalls impervious to the passage of heat and an opening to saidcompartment, in combination with a refrigerant chamber having wallsresistant to the passage of heat and an opening to said chamber, a coverof heat insulating material for said chamber opening, and heatconductive members connecting the inner and outer surfaces of saidcover, said refrigerant chamber being adapted to seat within saidcompartment opening exposing said chamber cover to the interior of saidcompartment, the heat conducting members being adapted to conduct heatfrom the interior of said compartment.

2. A refrigerating unit comprising a storage compartment with heatresistant walls having an opening therein leading to the interior ofsaid compartment, in combination with a refrigerant 1 chamber containinga refrigerant material disposed to generate a gas, there being wallsimpervious to heat enclosing said chamber and having an opening therein,a cover of heat insulating material for said chamber opening, heat con-1 cover to the interior of said compartment and f in a manner providingfor a limited escape of gas from said compartment, the cover of saidchamber tting to said chamber opening in a manner allowing the escape ofsaid generated gas into said compartment, said heat conducting members143 serving as the media for conducting heat from said compartment intosaid chamber.

3. In combination with a compartment having an opening communicating tothe interior thereof, a cooling unit comprising an inner chamber 14,3

abridged and enclosed by said girdle member, 15C:

said shoulder being adapted to seat against the edge of said compartmentopening for presenting said chamber opening to the interior of saidcompartment.

4. In combination with a compartment having an opening to the interiorthereof, a cooling unit comprising a chamber having a wall with elementsthereof in parallelism and an opening transversely of said wallelements, a girdle member having a shoulder and encircling said wall ata 'distance from said opening, there being an enclosed air spaceencircling said chamber opening and being formed intermediate said walland said girdle member, said shoulder being adapted to seat adjacenttheedge of said compartment opening to present said chamber opening to theinterior of said compartment.

5. In combination with a compartment having an opening to the interiorthereof, a cooling unit comprising a chamber formed of a hollow wallwith elements thereof in parallelism andA of a heat insulating materialand having a rean opening transversing said wall elements, a member ofheat-insulating material having a shoulder and encircling said openingat a distance therefrom, there being an enclosed air. spacecircumscribing said opening intermediate said encircling member and saidchamber wall,

said shoulder being adapted for seating upon the edge of saidcompartment opening to present.

the chamber opening to the interior of said compartment.

6. In combination, a storage compartment comprising walls retarding Athepassage of .heat

and configuring a recess therein, heat conducting members reaching fromthe interior of said compartment through a section of said walls intothe bottom of said recess, and a bell having walls resistant to thepassage. of heat and adapted to seat invertedly within said recess andcoforming with the bottom of said recess a chamber suited for enclosinga refrigerant.

7; In combination, a storage compartment having walls impervious to heatand a recess in said walls, heat conducting elements connecting saidrecess to the interior of said chamber, a bell having hollow walls ofheat insulating material and adapted to telescope into said recess and`achamber for the accommodation of a refrigerating material coformed bythe bottom of said recess and said bell, said heat conducting elementsproviding for the conduction ofv heat from said compartment into saidrefrigerant chamber.

8. In combination, a storage compartment having walls for impeding thetransfer of heat, similar walls projecting normally to one of saidcompartment walls to form a recess, heat conducting elements connectingthe bottom of said recess to the interior of said compartment, and abell having walls non-conductive of heat and adapted to telescope intosaid recess in a manner coacting with the bottom of said recess to forma chamber for a refrigerant in a manner providing for the escape of gasfrom said refrigerant intermediate the edge of said bell and the bottomof said recess.

9. A storage compartment comprising walls, a second group of wallsprojecting normally to one of the first named walls to form a recess,and heat conducting elements connecting the inner bottom of said recessto the interior of said cornpartment, in combination with a bell havingheat resistant walls inverted against the bottom of said recess tocoform a refrigerant chamber therewith, and a metal jacket adapted toseat against the bottom of said recess in a manner with a recess therqenand heat-conductive elements connecting the bottom of said recess to theinterior of said cabinet, in combination with a bell comprisingintroverted walls of heat-insulating material and a vacuum intermediatesaid walls, a metallic jacket, a gasket, and a refrigerant chamber, saidbell being seated with the openend foremost into said recess coformingwith the bottom of said' recess said refrigerant chamber, said metallicjacket being seated against the bottom of said recess enclosing saidbell with a space between said bell and said jacket, there being a voidbetween said jacket and the wall of said recess and being sealed by saidgasket.

11. A storage compartment comprising walls cess within one of saidwalls, the walls of said recess extending into the interior of saidcompartment, and heat conducting elements connecting the bottom of saidrecess to the interior of said compartment, in combination with a bellof insulating material having walls with a vacuum therebetween, arefrigerant chamber, a protective jacket, and a gasket, said bell beinginvertedly telescoped into said recess to coform with the bottom of saidrecess said refrigerant chamber, said jacket being placed over said bellwith a space therebetween and against the bottom of said recessenclosing said space, and there being a space between the walls of saidrecess and said jacket and sealed by said gasket.

12. A refrigerating unit comprising a storage compartment havinginsulated walls provided with an aperture, in combination with arefrigerant chamber having a Wall of insulating material insertablewithin and seatable upon thel walls of said storage compartment aboutsaid aperture, there being heat conductive members extending from theinterior to the exterior of the wall of said chamber, and a heatconductive plate of selected area within said storage compartment and incontact with said heat conducting members at the exterior of said wall.

13. In a device having an open topped compartment for articles to berefrigerated, a closure member for said open top comprising a basedepending into said open top, a protective shell extending above saidbase, and a bell-like. refrigerant vessel having walls in spacedrelation to said base and shell and depending at its open end below theunderside of said base, means for holding said vessel in said base,comprising rings of insulatory material at opposite sides of said baseand surrounding said vessel, said rings frictionally engaging the outerwall of said vessel.

14. In a device having an open topped compartment for articles to berefrigerated, a closure member for said open top comprising a basedepending into said open top, a protective shell' extending above-saidbase, and a bell-like refrigerant vessel having walls in spaced relationto said base and shell and depending at its open end below the underside of said base, means for holding said vessel in said base comprisingrings of compressible insulating material at each side of said base andsurrounding the outer wall of said vessel, and means upon said base forcompressing said rings against said vessel.

15. In a device having an open topped compartment for articles to berefrigerated, a closure member for said open top comprising a basedepending into said open top, aprotective shell extending above saidbase, and a bell-like refrigerant vessel having walls in spaced.relation to said base and shell and depending at its open end below theunder side of said base, means for holding said vessel in said basecomprising rings of compressible insulating material surrounding saidvessel above and below said base, a seat at the top side and bottom sideof said base for said rings, and means upon said base for compress' gsaid rings into said seatsand against said v e1.

16. In a device having an open topped com-A partment for articles to berefrigerated, a closure member for said open top comprising a basedepending into said open top, aA protective shell extending above saidbase, and a bell-like refrigerant vessel having walls in spaced relationto said base and shell and depending at its open end below the undersideof said base, means for holding said vessel in said base comprisingrings of compressible insulating material above and below said base, atapered seat for one of said rings at the top and inner edge of saidbase, a similar seat at the bottom of said base, an annular member onthe top of said base and a second annular member at the bottom of said-base for engaging said rings for forcing them into said seats andagainst the wall of said vessel, and means for adjusting the position ofsaid annular members relative to said base and said rings.

17. In a device having an open topped compartment for articles to berefrigerated, a closure member for said open top comprising a basedepending intosaid open top, a protective shell extending above saidbase, and a bell-like refrigerant vessel having walls in spaced relationto said base and shell and depending at its open end below the underside of said base, means for holding said vessel in said base comprisingrings of compressible insulating material above and below said base, atapered seat for one of said rings lat the top and inner edge of saidbase, a similar seat at the bottom ofsaid base, an annular member on thetop of said base and a second annular member at the bottom of said basefor engaging said rings for forcing them into said seats and against thewall of said vessel, and means for adjusting the position of saidannular members relative to said base and said rings, said adjustingmeans comprising means for securing said annular members upon said base.

VIRGINIUS W. MOODY.

